Light weight boxcar



May 27, 1941.. W.-.H. MUSSEY-IETAL 2,243,113

LiGHT WEIGHT BOXCAR Filed Feb. 15, 1937. 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 27, 1941.

w. H. MUSSEY ET AL- 2,243,113

LIGHT WEIGHT BOXCAR '7 Sheets-Shet 2 Filed Feb. 15, 1937 Q R Q R livvan/tor's Massey ndzzs/mm May 27, 1941.

w. H. MUSSEY ET AL LIGHT WEIGHT BOXCAR Fild Feb. .15, 1957 7 Sheets-Sheet s May 27, 1941.

w. HJMUSSEY ETAL.

LIGHT WEIGHT BOXCAR Filed Feb. 15, 1937 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 QN I \ May 27, 1941.

w; H. MUSSEY' ET AL LIGHT- WEIGHT BOXCAR Filed Feb. 15, 19s? 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 9 all/67 My 27, 1941. w. H. MussEY ET AL 2,243,113

' LIGHT WEIGHT BOXCAR I Filed Feb. 15, 1937 Sheets-Sheet 6 .IOT 63 86 w. H. MUSSEY ETAL May 27, 11941.

LIGHT WEIGHT BOXCAR Filed Feb. 15, 1937 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 "r's WYZZa/n Mass Patented May 27, 1941 William H. Mussey, Chicago, in. and Raymond M. Shaver, Michigan City, Ind., assignors to Pullman -Standa rd Car Manufacturing Com- ' pany, Chicago, 111., a corporation elf-Delaware Application February '15, 1937, Serial No.'125,688 Claims. (Cl. 105-404) This invention relates to railway cars and more especially to the construction thereof.

One of the objects of the invention is .the

provision of a new and improved railway car that is so constructed that its weight is materially reduced from that of the conventional car of the same or like dimensions.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a new and improved car having novel end and side wall constructions.

A iurther object of the invention is the provision of a new and improved car construction having novel end and comer posts.

A still further object of the invention is a new and improved corner and end frame construction for railway construction.

Another object of the invention is the provision of new and improved car body having novel side plates so'constructed as to provide a minimum of weight with a maximum of strength.

A further object of the invention is the pro vision of a car bodythat is relatively light in weight, simple in construction, eihcient in use and that, for the most part, is constructed from sheet metal which, for the most part, is of comparatively light gauge.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a railway car embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is aperspective view of a portion of the trauma of the carbody;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the upper corners of the car body; i

Fig. 5 is a transverse section of the car body, with parts broken away:

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-5 of Fig. '7;

Fig. 7 is a horizontal section of a portion of the car, with parts broken away;

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal vertical section of a portion of the car, with parts broken away, and with the underframe in section along the line 8-8 of Fig. 7 i V Fig. 9 is a section along the line H of Fig. 1;

HgIOisasectiononthelinell-ilot 1'12. 9;

Fig. llisasectionon theline Il-ll Fig.1;

Fig. l2isahorinontalsectimotanendportionofflreearsimilartofig'lbntshowingthe parts on an enlarged scale, with parts broken away;

Fig. 13is a section on the broken line' l3-l3 of Figs. 12 and 14; and

Fig. 14 is a. section on the line ll-H of Fig. 13. In the building of railway cars designed for interstate traflic, the structure must conform to certain requirements and specifications of the A. A. R. In the construction of the conventional railway car, commercial angles and channel bars together with rolled, cast and forged parts are most generally used and assembled by bolts and rivets, and, as a result, the weight of the completed car is very great, indeed.

The present invention seeks to materially redude this weight by the use of a-special steel 15 alloy. All or practically all the car body parts and underirame structure are of sheet metal of comparatively thin gauge. In practice, it has been found, for instance, that the corner posts, the door posts and bolster diaphragms may be 0 made or inch sheets; the comer posts 01' inch material; the top end sheets 1?, inch; the bottom end sheets $4; inch; the side sheathing .05 inch; and the remaining parts of similar auges. By so arranging and constructing the parts that sheet metal of comparatively thin gauge, pressed to form, may be used, and by the use of extensive welding, the resulting structure is materially lightened. It has been estimated that with trucks oi. special steel alloy, a

car embodying the features disclosed above will weigh substantially 30% less than a conventional car of the same class or capacity. And this has been demonstrated on a car of 50 ton capacity class that has recently been built.

Referring now to the drawings, the reference character I! designates the car in general which is provided with the underirame l I, side walls l2,

end walls It, the root section I4, and floor 9.

The under-frame comprises a center sill l5, end

- sills ll, side sills ll, bolsters l8, floor members,

II, cross bearers 2|, and diagonal braces 30' at each end of the car. The end and side plates are pressed angle bars as shown in Figs. 3, 5 and 6 o! the drawings and are connected together at their ends and attached'rto corner posts 22,

Fig. '7. Each of the corner posts is angular'in cross-section; The center sill is formed of two members, pressed to Z-shapein cross-section and having their upper flanges, which are wider than the lower, 'extndedinwardly and rigidly connected together as by being weldedyas clearly showninFlgs. Sand 6 oithedrawings. Their lower flanges 20 extend laterally outwardly in :opposlte directions. W The bolsters ll each comprises a pair of outer diaphragms 23, Fig. 7, one at each side of the center sill and resting on the flange 20 thereof, and secured thereto by welding and a pair of inner diaphragms 24 which extend'between channel members 25 at each side of the car and the center sills and rest on the flange 20 thereof and welded thereto. The channel members 25 are rigidly connected to the side sills H at each end of the bolster and beneath said side sills. The diaphragms 23 and 24 extend at their outer ends into. the channel members 25 and are rigidly connected thereto as, by rivets or the like. The bolster is provided with a top cover plate 26 and a bolster bottom cover plate 21 which extends from the channel bar 25 at one side of the car beneath the center sill to the corresponding channel bar 25 at the other side of the car and is rigidly connected thereto. Likewise, the top coverplate 26 extends entirely across the car and is secured to the side sills, channel member and diaphragms as by being riveted thereto. The central portion of the top cover plate is rigidly attached to the upper flange of the diaphragms as shown in Fig. 6.

Each of the, cross bearers 2| comprises a pressed pan or diaphragm at each side of the center sill and is s'ecuredthereto. These diaphragms rest on the lower outturned flanges of the center sill. They extend outwardly into the channel of sub-side sills 28 which are rigidly secured to the side sill I1 beneath the same at points beneath the doorways 29 of the car body, see Fig. 3. The cross bearers 2| are-each provided with anundercover plate 3| which extends from a point adjacent one end of the cross bearer to a point adjacent the other end beneath the center sill. Each-[cross bearer is also provided with upper. cov'er plates extending from the center sill to the sub-side sill 28 at each side of the car, see Fig. 5.

'The central portion of the diaphragms forming the cross bearers 2| are each depressed and a floor support 32, extending longitudinally of the car at each side of the center sill, is secured to the cross bearers in the depression. They are secured at their ends to thebolsters by suitable brackets. These supports are preferably lbrace members 44 are also provided for reinsheathing 53 by any suitable means as by welding, Figs. '7 and 12. These posts, of which there are three adjacent to the central portion of the end wall, are secured at their lower ends to the horizontal and also to the vertical flange 54 of the end sill l6 as shown in Fig. 8. These posts are offset inwardly at their lower ends to accommodate the flange 54. Each of these end posts is provided with means for strengthening or reinforcing the same. As shown, each has nested therein, a channel bar 55, Fig. '1, which is attached at its lower end to the end sill l6 and extends upwardly only a portion of the length of the end posts 5|, as shown more clearly in Fig.5.

The outside sheathing of the end-walls is composedof upper. and lower sheaths or strips of sheet metal 56 and 51, Fig. 1. The upper sheath 55 extends, or is offset, over the tops of the corner posts and is secured to the forward end of the roof section as will presently appear. Its lower edge is offset outwardly for receiving the upper edge of the lower sheath or strip 51 as shown at 58 in Fig. 8 and indicatedin Fig. 1.

The end sill I5 has its bottom flange portion oiiset downwardly above the draft sills as shown at and is rigidly secured thereto as by being welded. The center end post is supported on this downwardly ofi'set portion as shown more clearly in Figs. 5 and 8 of the drawings.

Each of the corner posts 22 is secured at its lower end to the outer side of the end and side shaped in cross-section and are adapted to assist tending horizontal flanges of the side sills. Be-

tween the diaphragms forming the floor members l9 and cross bearers 2|, a reinforcing pan or separator 34 is preferably inserted in the girder formed by the center sills between these diaphragms and is secured to the center sills and diaphragms as by means of the rivets 35, Fig. 7.

The outer ends of the center sill are extended to form the draft sills for the car, that is, the draft sills are the outer ends of the center sills. The outer ends of these draftsills are provided with a strike plate 35, Figs. 3 and 8, h'aving an opening 31 therethrough for receiving the shank of the coupler butt. The'central portion ofthe' plate at the lower marginal edge of the opening is bent inwardly as at 38 for forming a support for the wear plate 39 rigidly secured thereto. thereof is provided with draft lugs 4| and buffer lugs 42 which are rigidly connected to the web portions of the center sill members as 'by being welded thereto. Suitable brace members 43 are provided for reinforcing the buffer lugs 42., The

The center sill or draft sill portion sills I6 and II, respectively, as indicated in Fig. 1. These posts are preferably of pressed metal and in order to rigidify or strengthen or reinforce the same, suitable plates are employed for forming the posts into a column or triangular boxlike structure. In the construction shown, plates 59 are employed for this purpose. These plates extend longitudinally of the corner posts 22 for a major portion of its length above the side sills 'l1 and are arranged diagonally across from one flange to the other of the corner posts. The

side edges of the plates are bent to form feet BI and 62, Fig. 12, which extend parallel with the end and side walls, respectively. These walls are secured between these feet and the flanges of the corner posts by any suitable means'as the rivets 53' as will presently appear, Figs. '1 and 13.

- A plurality of angle members or clips 54 are provided for attaching wooden posts or fillers 55 and 55 to the corner members as shown more clearly in Fig. '7 of the drawings. The end or inner sheathing for the end wall is'preferably of wood and is secured to the end fillers 65 and and posts 5| in any suitable'manner. The clips 54 are preferably secured to the corner posts 22 by the rivets 63 which secure the reinforcing member 59 to the corner posts 22, Fig. '7. The end sheathing 53 is attached to the corner posts by being clamped between the feet 6| and the corre-- 'sponding flange of the corner posts 22. By

means of this arrangement, a strong, rigid, re-' inforced end wall is provided for the car body.

"arranged back to back, Figs. 9, and 11.

The side walls of the car body comprise side plates 61 which extend the full length of the car and are attached at their ends to the corner posts and end walls or outer sheathing of the car as will presently appear. These side plates are also of comparatively lightssheet metal pressed to form- Each comprises an outer arcuate plate 68 which forms the lower curved portion of the roof, an inner plate 69 which, in cross-section,

is of special form having its upper edge bent to extend parallel with the upper edge of the outer plate 68 and rigidly secured thereto as by being welded and having its intermediate portion extending downwardly and laterallyinwardly and then horizontally outwardly in contact with the plate 68 and then perpendicularly downwardly along the lower edge of the plate 68 and downwardly below the same, as shown more clearly in Fig. 13. The lower edge portion of the plate 68 is rigidly connected to the downwardly extending portion of the lower edge of the plate 69 as by being welded thereto. It will thus be seen that'the plate 68 and the onset portion of the plate 89 form a boxlike structure or girder to (Which the side sheathing is adapted to be attached. The horizontal portion of this plate extends over the side posts of the car and is rigidly connected thereto.

Door posts 72, which are preferably in the form of channel bars, are provided on each. side of the car intermediate the ends thereof. These posts 12 for each door have flanges extending parallel with the car wall and the channels are These posts have their outer flanges oflset inwardly at the lower ends of the posts to accommodate the upwardly extending flanges of the side Sills l1, Fig. 10, and are rigidly secured thereto as by rivets, welding, or the like. The inner flange of the side sill I1 is foreshortened across the doorway and a threshold plate 73 is rigidly secured thereto and extends along the upper surfaces of,

the floor 9 of the .car. t

The outer end of the plate 73 is bent downwardly and inwardly to form a guide or spacer for the sliding door 15. A track 76 is rigidly secured to the upwardly extending flange. of the side sill i7 and has a horizontally extending portion or track 71 on which the door supportingv rollers 78 are adapted to travel in opening and closing the door.

The lower downwardly extending end of this track plate is embraced by the door guide 79 for preventing lateral movement of the lower edge of the door 75. e

A suitable'guide 8i. loosely engaging between clips 80 and a flange H2 on the door frame-99 is provided above the doorway for guiding the upper edge of the door.

Since these guides are of the usual or well known construction, it is not thought necessary to further illustrate or .describe the same. I I

Suitable keepers I1 and "Bare provided on the door posts for receiving forwardly extending flanges on the door' frame when the door is closed,

Fig. 9, and a stop 90 limits the opening movement of the door, Fig. 1.

Suitable filler members 82, Fig. 9, for the door posts 12 are provided. These fillers extend into the channels of the door post and are secured therein in any suitable manner. If desired, these fillers may be provided with grooves in which are secured suitable trim. or face plates 83, as is usual in such constructions.

A suitable number of side posts 8, extending along each side and being attached at their upper-ends to the side plates and at their lower ends to the side sills in a suitable manner as by riveting or welding, are provided- These posts are preferably, though not necessarily, Z-form in cross-section as shown more clearly in Fig. 7. A suitable number of wooden filler posts 85, to

which the inner wall or sheathing 86 is adapted I bolts in the usual manner.

The 'outer sheathing 81 of the side walls is composed of a number of sheets or strips extending vertically and having their meeting edges engaging the outer flange of the side posts 84 to which they are welded as well as being buttwelded to each other. These sheets may, if desired, be provided with vertically extending, strengthening ribs or corrugations 88 in their intermediate portion, see Fig. 7. The vertical edges of the outer sheathing 81 at the car ends are adapted to be clamped between the corresponding flange-of the corner post and the stiffening member 59 as clearly shown in Fig. 7 of the drawings.

The roof structure l4 comprises a plurality of carlines 89 and SI of material pressed to channel form and curved to support a curved roof sheet. The ends are flattened, Fig. 3, and are secured at their ends to the arcuate plate 68. Certain of these carlines, as the carlines 9| have gussets or reinforcingplates 92 welded thereto and extend across the upper or riveted portion of the side plate and are secured tothe inner ofiset portion of the side plate 69 as shown in.

Figs. 8 and 19 of the drawings. A meta1 covering or roof member 96, formed of a plurality o froof-sheets, extends over the carlines and is. rigidly connected thereto as by welding. The

side edges of the roof member 96. are bent over on the side plate member 68 and are connected to the same by rivets or the like as shown in Fig.

- 3. The roofing at the ends of the car isformed to extend over the end sheathing 56 and is 'rigidly secured thereto by means of rivets I08 as shown in Figs. 8 and 13. These roof sheets may,

if desired,,be .provided with outwardly extending ribs or corrugations 98 which extend along the side and across the top of the roof structure.

The meeting edges of the roof sheets are welded to the carlines, Fig. '8.

The ends of the side plates 67 do not extend to the end sheathing 53, as clearly shown in Fig.

7. The end and side sheathings are connected together by the comer post and stiffener member 58 as has already been described.

The side plate 61,which does not extend beyond the side sheathing, is connected to the end walls of the "car by plates 93 which are welded to the side plate and end sheathing 53 as shown more clearly in Fig. 14 of the drawings.

' Acorner cap 94 is also provided, Fig. 4,. which is .pressed to form to extend over the upper end 01' each corner: post and is provided with a flange 95 which extends over the arcuate portion 68 and downwardly on the outer sides of the corher post 22 and. is rigidly secured to the parts a -byrivetins or welding. The upper portion.

of the corner cap 94 extends beneath the rooflng member 88.

'I'heendwvall 53 may also be provided with an inner wooden lining or inner wall "which may -.be secured in the usual manner to wooden flller The doors for the car are formed from strips oi sheet metal extending horizontally as shown in Fig. 1. The doors for the car each comprises a frame 99 extending across the side edges and 7 top thereof .and a U-shaped channel member ill extending across the lower portion thereof. This member I00 has a downwardly extending flange to which the door sheathing is attached.

The body portion of the door is of sheet metal and is provided with horizontally arranged channeis or corrugations I02 for strengthening the same. Certain of these corrugations are formed and outer members of sheet metal. said inner member comprising a substantially horizontal web that rests on and extends continuously across thetops of said side posts, is depending outer side marginal flange that overlaps the outer faces of said side posts and an upstanding inner side marginal flange disposed in substantially-flush alignment with the v erfaces of said side posts, said outer member co prising a' flat dependingouter 1 side marginal portion that overlaps and is rigidly 4 secured to said depending outer side marginal flange of said inner member and to said side j posts, a flat'inner side marginal portion that is sheet and outside sheathing between the side postsas shown in Fig. 5.

Suitable ladders are provided for the car. Each of these ladders comprises a pair of side bars III which maybe of pressed channel form and have their ends flattened as at Jill and III for rigidly attaching the same to the ends or side of the car as shown at Fig. 1. sidebars I03 are longer than the outer flanges and are provided with openings for receiving the rungs I06 as shown in Fig. 2. These rimgs are held rigidly in position by welds I01 or the like.

It is thought from the foregoing taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawings that the construction and operation of our device will The inner flanges of the i be apparent to those skilled in the m, and that changes in size, shape, proportion and details voi? construction may be made-without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims. We claim as our invention:

.1. A railway car construction comprising side posts side plates of hollow box section secured to the upper ends of the side posts on each side of the car, each of said side platescomprising inner and outer members of sheet metal, said inner member comprising a substantially horizontal web that rests on and extends continuously across the tops of said side posts, 9. depending outer side marginal flange that overlaps the outer-faces of said side posts and an upstanding inner side mar ginal flange disposed in substantially flush alignment with the inner faces of said side posts, said outer member comprising aflat depending outer side marginal portion that'overlaps and is rigidly secured tosaid depending outer side marginal flange of said inner member and a portion that is transversely bent on a curve that spans fromside flangeto side flange of said inner member and is rigidly secured to the top of the upstandinginner side marginal flange thereof, and merges into said flat outer side marginal portion of said outer member, and metal roof sheets spanning the car from side plate to side plate with their eaves end portions's'upported on top of and secured to the outer members thereof.

2. A railway car construction comprising side posts, side plates, of hollow box section secured to the upper ends of the side posts on each side of the car, each of said side plates comprising inner rigidly secured to and extends inwardly beyond the top-of said upstanding inner side marginal flange of said inner member and an intermediate portion that is transversely bent on' a curve that spans from side flange to side flange of said inner member and mergesinto' said flat inner and outer side marginal portions of said outer member, and metal I roof sheets spanning the car from side plate to side plate with their eaves end portions supported on top of and secured to the outer members thereof: and curved in conformity therewith. v a 3. As an article of manufacture, a railway scar side plate of hollow box section comprising inner and outer members of sheet metal, said inner member comprising a substantially horizontal web, a depending outer side marginal flange and an upstanding inner side marginal flange, said outer member comprising a flat depending outer side marginal portion that overlaps and is rigidly secured flatwise to said depending outer sidemarginal flange of said inner member, a flat margin'al portion that is rigidlysecured to and extends inwardly beyond the top of said upstanding inner side marginal flange ofsaid inner member and an intermediate portion gthat is transversely bent on a curve that spans from side flange to side flange of said inner member and merges tangentially intosaid flat inner and outer side marginal portions of said outer member.

4. In a railwaycar, corner posts of hollow triangularcross section fabricated from sheet metal 'and comprising sides extending lengthwise and crosswise respectively of the car and a third side connecting and bracing said two first named sides, side posts along each side of the car, and a hollow side plate of sheet metal at each side of the car extending continuously from end to end of the car, said side plate being substantially triangular in cross section and having a horizontal base extending laterally inwardly of the car over. said side posts and secured thereto and having a flange depending from the outer edge of said base alongside the outer sides bf said side posts and having its ends engaged with and secured to .the lengthwise extending sides or the adjacent corner posts.

5. A railway car construction comprising a pair of triangular corner posts at each side of the car, each having a vertical slot facing the opposite end of the car, a side sill having an upwardly extending flange secured at its end portions in engagement with the sides of the corner posts a 7 side ,plate of triangular cross section having a depending flange secured at its end portionsdn engagement with the sides of the corner posts, side posts rigidly secured to said flanges, and side sheets having their upper and lower edges welded to said flanges and hfiv ngtheir end edges secured in the slots in the corner posts.

6. A railway car construction comprising side posts, hollow sheet metal corner posts triangular in cross section, a sheet metal side plate of hollow box section including a horizontal web portion resting on and rigidly secured to the upper ends of said side posts and having a depending portion extending downwardly along theouter z sides of said side posts and rigidly secured thereand rigidly secured thereto, corner plates extending over said corner posts and side plates and rigidly secured thereto, and side sheathing of vertically extending plates havingtheir vertical edge portions welded together and to said side posts, said sheathing being rigidly secured to said corner posts.

8. A railway carj construction comprising side posts, hollow corner posts, side plates of hollow box section seated on the upper ends, of said side posts and rigidly securedth'ereto, at each side of the car and extending continuously from one end of said car to the other, each of said side plates having upstanding and depending flanges, said depending flanges being connected to said side posts, said corner posts each com-, prising an outer angular member having a flange extending longitudinally of the car and one extending transverse thereof, a stiifening member arranged diagonally across from one flange to the other, extending vertically, and having flanges parallel ,with, and spaced from, the flanges of said angular member, outside sheath- .posts, hollow sheet metal corner ing for said car comprising sheet metal plates welded together and to said side posts and having vertical edges extending between the par-v allel flanges of said corner ,posts and secured thereto, and a roof section rigidly connected to the upstanding flanges of said side plates.

9. A railway car vconstruction comprising'side pos'ts, side plates of hollow box section having horizontalportions resting on said side posts and' rigidly secured to saidside posts, said plates extending continuously from end to end of the car and having upstanding and depending flanges, said depending flanges being rigidly secured to the outer. side of said side post a metal roof sectionspanning the car from side plate to side plate and rigidlyconnected to said upstanding flanges, and cap members seated on said end posts and having depending portions plate.

extending continuously mm end toend oi the car and having a horizontal Web'seated on said side posts and rigidly secured thereto, said side plate having a depending flange extending downward alongside said side Posts and rigidly se- 'metal connected to said cured thereto, means" extending across the upper ends of said comer posts and rigidly secured thereto and to said side plates, a side sill having a vertical'flange, and side sheathing of sheet side and corner posts and to the named flanges of said 'side'plate and side sill. y

WILLIAM H. MUSSEY. RAYMOND M. SHAVER.

rigidly secured thereto and having upstanding portions rigidly secured to said root section and to the adjacentside 

